The Feast of St Sharbel, the Hermit.

"Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds. “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well." (Matthew 13: 24 -).

Saturday 24th July 2021, 16th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of St Sharbel Makhlouf. (1828 - 1898). Lebanese Catholic priest, monk and hermit. Sharbel is known for his great devotion to the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and the Blessed Sacrament and his filial devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was a great miracle worker during his life and after his earthly life. Sharbel died a Hermit in the ardor of sanctity in 1898.

In our key Scripture for today, the Church is likened to the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus Christ is the Sower of the Seed. What happened after Jesus sowed good seed in the vast terrain?

‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’ He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

There are people in the Church that are eager to pull up all the bad eggs in the Church right away. The adulterers, abortionists, thieves, etc right away. Listen to how Jesus answered the slaves.

"No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”

What is the takeaway from today's Gospel? God's merciful and powerful Providence governs all things. God will deal with all manner of sinners at the end of the world.
"The cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” (Revelation 21: 18).

Let the Church trust in the Plan of God. Amen!

"When you are weak, come to Me. When you are burdened, come to Me. When you are fearful, come to Me. When you are assailed by doubts, come to Me. When you are lonely, come to Me. Let nothing separate you from My Heart, which is ever open to receive you. It is the Evil One who seeks to turn souls away from My Heart. It is the Evil One who sows the seeds of doubt, of fear, of sadness in souls, so as to turn them away from Me and drive them into the cold pit of darkness and despair that he himself inhabits." (IN SINU JESU page 203).

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